Timing is Everything
by ladyjet18
Summary: "I love you." Lexie says to Mark. Mark stands there frozen, not knowing what to say.
1. The Heart Brings You Back

_**OK Y'ALL THIS IS MY FIRST MARK AND LEXIE FANFICTION SO I HOPE YOU LIKE IT! THIS IS GOING TO BE SET WHEN LEXIE CONFESSES SHE STILL LOVES MARK IN SEASON 8, EPISODE 22. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT THE PLANE CRASH DIDN'T HAPPEN, BECAUSE THAT STILL UPSETS ME TO THIS DAY. HERE IS MY STORY OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO THEM IF THE CRASH DIDN'T HAPPEN.**_

 **Chapter One *The Heart Brings You Back***

Lexie walks out of the hospital after a long shift. She feels exhausted, after the big surgery. She turns the corner with speed and stops dead in her tracks. She spots Mark leaning against a wall, texting on his cell phone. She takes a few steps towards him and says, "Hey."

Mark doesn't look up from his phone, so she continues to talk. "Thanks for uh...thanks...for letting me uh..." She tries to put her words together, but they keep getting jumbled.

Mark puts his phone away and looks at her. "You did a good job in there." He says, truthfully. He knows she has so much talent. He believes in her. He always has.

"Thanks." She says again.

Mark notices her demeanor, the way she is acting nervous and breathless. He knows something is going on with her. He can always tell when there is something weighing her down. "You alright?"

"I love you." Lexie blurts out and immediately regrets letting it slip out of her mouth. Instead of stopping though, she continues, because she never knows when to shut up. "Oh, God. That just came flying out of my face. Oh my god. I love you. I just-I just did it again." She lets everything slip out of her. Her heart is tired of holding in all of her emotions she has been trying to keep in check. She rambles on about Jackson, and how he would be perfect, but he isn't Mark. He will never be Mark.

Mark is speechless as she continues on her emotional ramble, feeling his heart lurch out to her. He continues to stay silent though, because he honestly wants to hear what she has to say.

"I love you. I do. I just, I love you." Tears spring to her eyes as she speaks, but she holds them back. "I am so in love with you. You're in me. You're like-It's like you're a disease. It's like I am infected by Mark Sloan and I just can't think about anything or anybody and I can't sleep. I can't breathe. I can't eat. And I love you. I love you all the time. Every minute of every day, I love you." She tries to suck in some breaths after talking so fast.

Mark stares at the woman he has loved for so long. What can he say? He racks his brain to figure that out, as Julia pops out of nowhere with a smile on her face.

"Hey I thought you said meet in the lobby?" She looks at Mark before her eyes go to Lexie. "Hey."

Lexie looks between them and then shakes her head at herself. "Hey. I was just leaving. I just wanted to tell Dr. Sloan that I appreciate him for the surgery." Her brown eyes wander to Mark one more time before she walks away. She curses herself for being so stupid. Why did she do that? Her mind goes to when Derek gave her the advice to fight for him. "Ugh, I need to stop listening to other people." She says to herself as she enters her car.

Mark is still standing in the same spot, still speechless. Lexie just poured her heart out to him and he said nothing. Nothing. Not one word.

Julia eyes her boyfriend, wondering what is going through his mind." Are you okay? Are you too tired to hang out tonight? I can come over tomorrow instead?"

He sighs to himself. "I guess the surgery took a lot out of me. How about you and I have breakfast in the morning? Sound good?"

Julia nods and leans toward him. She places her soft, pink lips on his. "Sounds great. I'll see you tomorrow then." She gives him another smile before sauntering away from him.

He tries to move, but it's like he is frozen in the moment that just transpired between him and Lexie. She loves him. After all this time of trying to move on from her, and she does _that._ He shakes his head in frustration. Her timing couldn't be more horrible. He is with Julia now, it's too late. He repeats that in his mind as he begins walking to his car, but another thought pops into his head. Is it too late?

* * *

Lexie's fingers graze the bottle before she opens it. She tips the opening into her mouth and lets the harsh liquid go down in gulps. She chugs until she hears footsteps entering the living room.

"Wow, tequila. You must be having a rough night." Meredith says to her sister. She walks to the cough and takes a seat beside her. "What happened?"

Lexie sets the bottle on the table and starts shaking her head madly. "I'm so stupid!" She repeats that a few times until tears start spilling out of her eyes.

Meredith wraps her arm around her once bright and shiny sister. "Hey, you are not stupid." She places a piece of Lexie's hair behind her ear. "What has you all freaked out?"

Lexie wipes furiously at her tears. "I told Mark that I love him. Actually, I gave him this big speech confessing just how much I love him."

Meredith waits for her to continue.

"He didn't say anything back and then Julia showed up. So I left." Lexie shakes her head once again and looks at her older sister. "I'm so stupid for doing that. I should have kept it all bottled up. God, I'm stupid." She picks up the tequila bottle and almost tips it over, but Meredith intercepts.

Meredith sets the bottle down and gets off the couch. "This is a call for shots and some dancing it out. I'll call Christina." She hurriedly enters the kitchen to get some shot glasses. She turns on her heel and sees Derek entering the kitchen. Meredith eyes him warily before smacking his arm. "Your best friend is a jerk!"

Derek, shocked that he just got randomly smacked, holds his hands up in surrender. "Why am I under attack for something Mark did? And what exactly did he do for me to deserve that?"

Meredith rolls her blue eyes at him. "He is _your_ best friend. That is why you got hit and also he hurt Lexie." She says matter of fact, ready to smack her husband again.

Derek dodges her hand this time. "What did he do?" He hasn't seen Mark after he talked to him about the surgery that went on earlier. That was a mere hour ago, how could Mark have possibly messed anything up in that amount of time?

Meredith picks up the phone and glares at Derek. "Lexie told him she still loved him in a big way. He didn't say anything in return. Sound familiar?"

Derek thinks back to when she was the Grey sister giving a big speech about loving him. These sisters have a way about their timing. "I'll talk to him. I'm sure he is having a hard time wrapping his mind around everything. I'll be back home later." He kisses his wife on the mouth and gives her his signature smile.

She rolls her eyes at him as he walks out to go see Mark. She is about to dial Christina's number when she hears someone barge through the doorway and stomp into the living room.

Lexie yells, "Christina is here!"

Meredith sets the phone down and rushes into the living room with the shot glasses. "What are you doing here? I was just about to call you."

Christina waves around a tequila bottle and smirks at her best friend. "I sensed I was needed." She places it on the table and eyes little Grey. "What's going on with you?"

Lexie grabs a shot glass from her sister and pours the liquid in it. She tips it back and smacks the glass back down on the table. "Sheer embarrassment." Lexie finishes off the last of the bottle and feels the world around her turn. She goes to open the one Christina bought, but Meredith grabs her hands and pulls her off the couch instead.

"It's time to dance it out, Lex." Meredith pours two shots for her and Christina and they down them. She walks to the stereo and turns it on. The song "Don't Let Me Down," by the Chainsmokers fills the air.

Instead of overthinking everything, Lexie lets the music take her over. She starts bobbing her head and shaking her hips. She begins to feel more relaxed, and understands why Christina and her sister does this all the time. It is a great way to let out some steam. This and tequila. Lexie picks up the bottle and takes a swig before shaking hips some more. She is so engrossed in letting all her worries go, she doesn't hear someone come through the doorway and into the living room.

Derek and Mark watch the girls dance it out before Derek says, "I guess we are just in time for the party." He chuckles when they all stop dead in their tracks, like deer in headlights.

Derek had went to Mark's to try and decipher how he felt about the situation. Mark was downing scotch, and driving himself crazy with questions and wondering who he should choose. Derek knows he wants already, hence why they are here now.

Mark tries to hide the fact that Lexie's dancing effected him in a lot of ways. He feels a smile touch his lips as he sees her look embarrassed. He has always found her to be adorable when she danced. "Hey Lex. Can we talk?"

Lexie puts the bottle in Christina's hands and sways to Mark. "H-hey." She slurs. She didn't realize just how drunk she has gotten.

Mark turns to Derek. "I don't think she is going to be able to talk tonight." He looks at the beautiful brunette and frowns. He made her do this. He is the reason she is drunk and needing to dance it out. She had to dance out her frustrations at him. "Lex, I'll take you upstairs, okay?"

Lexie eyes him with her eyebrows raised. "Why?"

Before Mark can give an answer, she trips over herself, and he quickly catches her. "That's why. You can't walk straight. Let's go." He puts her in his arms bridal style and begins up the stairs, ignoring the looks from his friends.

Lexie leans her head back and giggles. "I feel like we just got married and you are carrying me through our...uh...threshold?" She pauses and tears begin to pool in her brown eyes. "B-but that won't ever happen, will it?" She looks at Mark with puppy dog eyes.

Mark looks at down at her, hating she is so hurt, but she hurt him too. She told him he doesn't make her happy, to move on. "That is a conversation for a different night." He enters her room and lays her gently on her bed. "You need some rest. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He turns to leave when a small hand grabs his.

"Please don't go." She pleads. "I need you."

Mark turns on his heel and almost says no, but his heart stops him. "Okay." He says instead and lays beside her.

Lexie leans close to him and kisses his cheek. "Thank you. Will you hold me?"

Mark doesn't hesitate, he wraps her up in his arms and holds the girl he has loved for so long.


	2. The Trick is to Keep Breathing

_**ALRIGHT Y'ALL HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER! PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! AND I HOPE Y'ALL HAD AN AMAZING CHRISTMAS!**_

 **Chapter Two *The Trick is to Keep Breathing***

Lexie drags her feet down the stairs, moaning and groaning from the headache that is sprouting. Another regret she has on her list. Why did she have to drink so much? She walks into the kitchen and sees Mark making coffee and talking to Derek. She thought he left. She had woken up with no Mark by her side. "Hey." She says to them and takes a seat at the kitchen table.

Mark smiles at the brunette and notices her facial expression. She is in agony. Her face says it all. "Good morning. I'm making coffee and I made a drink that will cure that awful hangover you have." He picks the glass full of the green liquid from the counter and walks it to Lexie. "Here drink this."

Lexie takes the drink from him and eyes it. "It looks nasty." She raises it and scrunches her nose at the smell. "It smells nasty too."

Mark laughs, ignoring the fact that he finds her scrunching her nose adorable. "Just drink it, Lex. It will help."

Lexie obliges. She holds her nose and lifts the glass to her mouth. She gulps down the green liquid and gags once she has finished it. "I feel like you have poisoned me."

Mark rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to Derek. "Has Meredith woke up yet?"

Derek nods as he gets some of the finished coffee. "She is in the shower right now. I have to go though and Lexie you need to hurry too. We have a lot to do today." He tells her.

Lexie plops her head down on the table and throws a thumb up in the air. "If I don't die first." The wood of the table muffles her voice.

"I'm assuming you said you will be great when you come into work and be ready to start the day. I'll see you at the hospital." He polishes off the last of his coffee with a piece of toast and walks out of the kitchen. He is hoping Mark and Lexie will at least scratch the surface of what happened last night.

Mark opens his mouth to speak, but nothing seems to want to come out. What can he say? He pours coffee in two mugs and slowly walks to the kitchen table. He plops down in the chair beside her and she raises her head.

She looks at him with her big, brown eyes. "Why did you stay?"

The question hangs in the air for awhile before Mark finally answers. "You asked me to. You know I'd do anything for you." He hands her the coffee and watches her take a sip of the caffeine. "Plus we need to talk about some things."

Lexie avoids his blue eyes then. She was hoping the embarrassing moment would be forgotten. Hope is a stupid thing sometimes. "I'd rather not." She mumbles and takes another sip of the hot liquid.

Mark sighs and takes the coffee from her. He sets it on the table and turns her head with his finger. "Avoiding talking never helps us, Lex. We can't keep doing this. We need to get everything off the table."

"I think I've already done that." She gets up from her chair. "I told you I love you. Actually, I told you I'm in love with you in a big, big way. What else do I need to say? That I feel stupid for telling you? I wish I could take it all back, because I know you are with Julia. I know she is the one you want now. I know that." She wipes the tears that are falling down her face. "Can we just forget I said anything?" She is standing in the middle of the kitchen, face and eyes red, staring at the man she loves. She is sure she looks like a mad woman.

Without thinking, Mark stands to his feet and closes the distance between them. "I can't forget what you said. It's imprinted in my mind." He runs his hand along her soft face, wiping excess tears that have fallen. "I just think we need to talk about everything in general. It wasn't to long ago that you asked me to let you go." Mark takes in a deep breath. "I didn't want to do that, but I'm all about making you happy. You told me you wanted to be happy, and I wasn't going to make you that way. You wanted Jackson."

Lexie can hear in his voice how heart broken he is. She can add another regret to her list. She never should have told him any of that. She thought she was doing what was best for her though. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I was...lost. I don't want Jackson. You do make me happy, Mark." She leans in closer to him, to where their lips are almost touching.

Mark keeps his hand on her cheek and breathes in her amazing scent.

They stand there in silence for a few moments, just taking everything in. They both want each other. It is visible on their faces. It's been too long since they have been this close.

Mark's phone ringing interrupts their moment. He reaches into his pocket and answers it. "Hello?"

"Hey babe, I'm at your apartment and I've been knocking. Are you already working?" Julia says through the phone.

Mark smacks his forehead with his hand. He forgot that he told her he would eat breakfast with her this morning. "Yeah they called me in. I'm so sorry." He eyes Lexie as he is talking.

Lexie realizes it's Julia and frowns. "I'm going to go." She mouths to him and turns away before he can say anything to her. She rushes upstairs to change quickly and then runs into Meredith.

Meredith looks as bad as she feels. "That tequila is a monster, but it sure can make you forget your troubles." She says to Lexie. "Are you alright? Did you and Mark work things out?"

Meredith's question is answered by Mark, who runs up the stairs. "I have to go. I'm sorry we didn't get to talk about everything, but I have to get to work."

"Yeah, because that's where Julia thinks you are." Lexie is full of bitterness as she pushes past him to get downstairs.

Mark follows close behind. "Don't do that. You know that I'm still with her. All of this is confusing." He grabs her arm and tries to turn her around, but she pulls her arm out of his grip.

Lexie stomps out of the house and closes the door behind her.

* * *

Lexie is looking over the case Derek and her are working on. Her eyes skim the chart, letting everything sink into her photographic memory.

A thirty-six year old man got brought in by his family. The wife reported that had been binge-drinking for the last few days before being admitted to an outside hospital. Even after he had stopped drinking, he experienced worsening confusion and gait instability. He had been healthy and the family reported that 1 week before this episode, he had no complaints and had suffered no recent illnesses. After this binge-drinking episode he was forgetful, easily confused, and was having recurrent falls. They described a staggering gait, which had become progressively worse over the days prior to admission. The family reported that he had not had any further alcohol to drink since these symptoms developed.

The patient was admitted to an outside hospital and treated with a benzodiazepine taper for presumed alcohol withdrawal given his agitation, confusion, and tachycardia. His admission labs, including blood counts, liver function tests, and renal function, were normal. A toxicology screen was negative for alcohol but positive for cocaine and heroin. A non-contrast head CT was performed and was unremarkable. Two days after admission the patient became tachypneic, tachycardic, and obtunded and was intubated after experiencing respiratory failure. The chest x-ray demonstrated an infiltrate and the patient was treated for pneumonia.

The patient's mental status did not improve. Four days after admission, he developed extensor posturing of the upper extremities. At that time, his family requested for him to be transferred here.

Derek inches towards Lexie, noticing that she seems to be focused on the case. He is hoping that means her and Mark have figured out their issues and are willing work through them. "How did it go?" He asks her, completely curious.

Lexie closes the chart and takes in a deep breath. She lets it out slowly and turns to Derek. "I took a look at him and done his vitals. This looks like alcohol with drawl, which is what the other hospital concluded as well, but I think there is more to it than that. They mentioned that he could have psychiatric comorbidities." She hands Derek the chart. "I think we should run a MRI and go from there."

Derek raises his eyebrow at the girl. "Ok." He reads over the chart and looks up at her once again. "I agree with you."

Lexie smiles and begins to walk to the patient's room, but Derek stops her.

"But I wasn't talking about you seeing the patient. I was talking about you and Mark." He watches Lexie shake her head slightly and turn to look at him.

"Mark has Julia. There is no me and Mark." She then leaves the area to avoid talking about Mark more. It's only going to distract her from this case, and that's the last thing she needs right now.

Lexie spends her time engrossed in this patient's case, disproving the other hospital's diagnosis. She knows there is more to it than alcohol with drawl. There has to be. His brain MRI is shown with flair sequences. She walks into the room to talk to Mr. Gadd and his wife, to tell them what she has learned so far.

Although psychiatric comorbidities are common in alcohol and drug abuse, the presence of hard physical exam findings, including a frontal release sign (positive jaw jerk reflex), diffuse spasticity, and decerebrate (extensor) posturing, would strongly suggest an organic rather than psychiatric disease.

She explains this in a manner that they will understand.

Mrs. Gadd stares at her husband with sadness in her eyes, and then they go to Lexie. "So what are you going to do now?"

"We are going to run a few more tests. We are getting closer to figuring out what is wrong." Lexie tells them. "I'm going to give you some medicine, Mr. Gadd." She collects her supplies and inches her way toward him.

He glares at the young doctor and begins to yell. "Don't you dare touch me!" His voice booms through the room. He raises up slightly and nabs the needle from Lexie. "I will stab you! Don't think that I won't!"

Lexie reaches out to try and grab it, but with her arm outstretched, it makes it easier for him to stick in her arm. She screams out in shock, and as she does that he injects the medicine into her body.

Mrs. Gadd is yelling out of the doorway towards the nursing station for help. She screams and screams until Derek and Mark run up to her.

Derek eyes the woman, wondering why she would yelling when the machines for her husband aren't going off. "What is wrong?"

She runs back into the room, and spots Lexie lying on the floor passed out. "Oh god! She's...he did something to her!"

The doctors rush into the room and both their hearts drop. Mark rushes to Lexie's side and checks her breathing. "It's shallow, but it's there!" His blue eyes move to the man that hurt his Lexie. "What did you do to her?!" He feels the heat rising to his face and his fists clench. "I swear to God I will hurt you! What did you do to her?!"

The patient stares off into space before he begins to seizure.

Derek rushes to his side. "Take Lexie into another room and page-" He is interrupted by the machines going off, signifying he is losing the patient. "Go get help for her!" He orders and presses the code blue button.

Mark rushes out of the room, Lexie in his arms bridal style, and orders nurses to page for help. He rushes into a empty room and lays her on the bed when Dr. Bailey speeds to their side.

"What happened?"

Mark shakes his head madly, tears running down his face. "She was lying on the floor. We were too late! The patient she was tending to did something to her, but before we ask he went into a seizure." His voice is filled with panic as he watches Bailey work on the love of his life.

"She is breathing so that is a good sign." Bailey inspects her body and spots an injection site on her arm.

Mark is repeating over and over in his mind, 'Please keep breathing. Please don't leave me. I can't be without you.'


	3. Can't Stop This Thing We've Started

_**I'M ENJOYING WRITING THIS STORY AND I HOPE EVERYONE IS ENJOYING IT TOO! PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING AND LETTING ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, IT MOTIVATES ME. I KNOW THE STORY HAS BEEN SLOW, BUT THE PACE WILL PICK UP I PROMISE!**_

 **Chapter Three *Can't Stop This Thing We've Started***

It's been too hours since the incident happened.

Lexie is sitting upright in bed, chewing on her bottom lip, aggravated with herself. She could have stopped that patient. It's her fault that Derek is doing an emergency surgery without her. She sighs deeply just as Mark walks into the room, chocolate pudding in one hand and a spoon in the other one.

Mark smiles at her before plopping down in the chair beside her bed. "You should feel lucky that I grabbed this for you." He hands her the pudding and spoon.

Lexie opens it and sticks the spoon in the chocolate mush. She eats a big mouthful and shakes her head at him. "I don't feel lucky at all. I got injected with morphine that was intended for a patient. I feel stupid more than anything." Her stress eating kicks in, and within seconds her chocolate pudding is devoured. She sets it aside and licks the chocolate off her lips.

Mark scoots closer to her and takes her hand in his. "You are not stupid. You didn't expect this to happen. Lex, you are an amazing doctor. The progress you were making on this case was...phenomenal. You don't give yourself enough credit." He watches a smile stretch across her face. "You scared me. At first, I thought I was losing you." Tears pool in his blue eyes and Lexie notices.

Lexie squeezes his hand. "I'm still here. Still breathing."

Mark leans in close, taking in her sweet scent. "I thought you couldn't breathe without my love?" He teases before he turns his serious. "Can we talk about it now?"

"What is there left to say?" She asks.

He rolls his eyes at her. "There is plenty to say, Lex. You broke my heart not too long ago and then you just up and tell me love me. I was getting serious with Julia."

Realization flashes across her face. He was going to do with her what he always planned for them. Tears spring to her eyes. He had moved on, just like she thought she wanted, and now she is holding him back. She swallows down her sadness and takes her hand out of his. "It wasn't right of me to do that. You are happy with her. I broke you and she put you back together. Stay with her." Hearing her own self say it, breaks her heart into a million pieces. This is what is best for him. She isn't good for him.

Mark stands to his feet, anger replacing the sadness he once felt. She can't keep pushing him away after pulling him towards her. "Just stop, okay? You were so open and honest with me that night. Why can't you do that now?" He paces back and forth in the room, feeling completely frustrated. Why are the Grey women so complicated?

Once again, Lexie's mouth takes over, and words begin to spill out uncontrollably. "You want me to be open with you? You want me to pour my heart out to you until there is nothing left to say? I've...I've already done that, Mark. I bared my soul to you and y-you just stood there. I want a future with you."

Mark eyes the brunette before saying, "Then why did you leave me? Why didn't you at least talk with me first?"

Tears poor down her face. Lexie tries to contain the words that are threatening to come out, but it's impossible. Her heart is lurching towards him, and the words it needs to say are unstoppable. "You were having a baby with another woman! That was something I wanted to do for you. I wanted to be the woman that brought a little Sloan into the world, but y-you gave that chance to someone else." Her hands fly to her mouth, wishing she could gobble those horrid words back up.

Shock, sadness, and happiness all come to surface in Mark. He stands there for a few moments before closing the distance between them. He gets into the hospital bed with her, holds her wet face in his hands, and presses his mouth against hers. Intensity and fire rage in their hearts as they kiss passionately. It has been too long since their last kiss, and Mark couldn't wait any longer. After hearing her say those words, his heart swelled with love for the girl in his arms.

Lexie stops the kiss by backing up a bit and looking into his eyes. "Why did you do that?"

Mark runs his fingers through her brown hair and smiles. "You want a future with me. You want to have a baby with me." Once again this girl has tears appearing in his eyes. "I love you so much."

"But what about everything we have been through? All the ugly that has happened."

He presses his forehead against hers and closes his eyes. "We are beautiful, remember? All of the issues may have been ugly and bad, but we can get through anything. Our love is too strong to stay away from each other." He presses his lips softly against hers and then begins to play in her hair, just like all those other times she would do it for him.

Lexie closes her brown eyes, loving the feeling of his fingers running through her hair. "So you are leaving Julia?" She grimaces saying her name, almost like it is forbidden, but she has to know. It's killing her being in his arms and not knowing if she is going to keep him to herself.

Mark kisses her head and continues to play in her beautiful hair. "I'm leaving Julia. I'm yours. I have always been yours. We are forever, nothing can compare to this."

Lexie smiles as more tears start falling down her cheeks. Happiness overwhelms her. Mark is going to be hers, and she isn't going to mess it up this time. She is not going to let him slip out of her grasp. "I love you." She whispers into the air.

"I love you too." He lays his head on hers and closes his eyes. Sleep then caresses both of them, not knowing that the person they were just talking about is watching them in the doorway.

Julie stares at the couple, hurt and anger raging inside of her. She knew she would have issues with Lexie, sooner or later. Mark had told her the love story of them, but he said it came to an end. She shakes her head at the lie. She isn't going to lose him. She refuses to. She hasn't gotten this far just to walk away now. She knows exactly what she needs to do to ensure he will stay with her. A smile replaces the glare that was on her face. She turns on her heel and continues smiling as she walks down the hall and away from Lexie's room.

* * *

Derek places his chart on the nurses station right beside Mark's. He looks at his best friend, at the smile that is plastered on his face. He raises an eyebrow at him, wondering what could possibly have Mark in such a good mood. "Okay, what is going on with you?"

"How did the surgery go?" Mark asks, instead of answering Derek's question.

Derek shrugs, not understanding why he is keeping information from him. "It went well. I found the source of the seizure Mr. Gadd was having. I think Lexie is checking on him now." At first, Derek wasn't going to let her continue on the case, not because he doubted her abilities. He was being protective over his sister in law, but she refused to be babied. He admired that in the Grey women. They always fought hard against anything thrown their way. "Now, back to my question. Why are you happy?"

Mark's eyes veer off behind Derek's head. Somehow his smile grows wider and his eyes begin to shine.

Derek turns around and laughs when he finds the culprit that has his best friend smiling like an idiot. "Lexie, huh? Did you two finally work through your issues?"

Mark shakes his head out of the trance of watching her walk towards them. "We did. I'm ending things with Julia."

Lexie reaches the two men and slides her fingers across Mark's arm before walking to the other side of him. "Good morning Dr. Shephard, Dr. Sloan." She gives Mark the look that makes him lose all of his control.

"Little Grey, you better stop looking at me like that." He warns her.

Lexie starts laughing as Derek stops their flirting abruptly. "Uh, Mark." He smacks Mark's arm and points outward.

Mark turns around and spots Julia running towards him, tears running down her face. "Oh Mark, I couldn't wait until tonight to tell you!" She frantically goes to him and hugs his broad body.

He looks down at the girl, completely confused. "What's wrong?" He asks. "And tell me what?"

Lexie watches the two with jealously pooled in her eyes. She just has to wait until tonight, and she will be out of his life for good. She smiles just thinking about being able to call him hers.

Julia steps back and smiles at all three of them. "I'm pregnant. Mark, we are going to have a baby!"

Lexie's heart once again smashes to the floor and breaks like glass. She's pregnant? Her eyes go to Mark, seeing his face twist in all kinds of different emotions. Tears spring to her brown eyes, but she fights them back. "I need to go check on my patient." She tells them and walks away from the situation that just unfolded.

 _ **ALRIGHT DID Y'ALL EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN? I KNOW THIS CHAPTER WAS A LITTLE SHORT , BUT I WANTED TO GET ONE MORE OUT TONIGHT! REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!**_


	4. Something I Can Never Have

_**HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER I HOPE Y'ALL LIKE IT! I'M TRYING TO CHECK MY ERRORS, AND I'M SORRY IF I MISS SOME. BUT ANYWAY, PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IT KEEPS ME MOTIVATED TO KEEP WRITING.**_

 **Chapter Four *Something I Can Never Have***

Lexie stares down at the empty glass in front of her. Empty. The word itself holds a lot of meaning to her at the moment. A day ago, Mark decided to break up with Julia to be with her. They were going to start over. They were going to do things right this time. Until Julia came to the hospital and ruined everything by being pregnant. She shakes her head. He got another girl pregnant. It should be her, not Julia.

"I need another one." She tells Joe and he refills the glass to the top.

She takes a few gulps and sets it back on the bar. She hates herself. It's her fault she's not going to get to be with Mark. She told him to let her go. She was the one who pushed him away. She is the blame for her future to be dark.

"Lex?"

She turns around at the call of her name. "Mark, why are you here? Shouldn't you be celebrating?" Her voice is tinged with bitterness.

He shakes his head and sits beside her on the stool. "The last thing I want to do is celebrate. I mean I don't hate the baby's existence, I could never do that." He sighs and places his hands on each side of his face. "It wasn't supposed to be her."

Lexie downs the rest of her drink before saying, "At the time it was supposed to be her. It's only been a day since you decided you wanted to be with me. You love her, too."

Mark places his hand on top of hers and squeezes it. "I don't love her. I was just trying to do what you wanted me to. I just wanted to make you happy." His voice breaks and it takes him a few minutes to get himself together. "And now I've made you unhappy, something I never wanted to do. I'm always messing up."

She looks down, avoiding his gaze. She has been unhappy for so long. She should be used to it by now. Every time she thinks her and Mark can be together without any trouble, something comes along and butchers that. "The crown of messing up belongs to me. I'm the queen of it." She laughs, but it is empty of humor. She slides off the stool and lays a twenty down on the bar. "I should go." She turns away from him and almost starts walking when he touches her arm.

"I love you. That will never change. No matter what happens." He says to her and tears begin to pour down her cheeks.

Lexie places her hand on his, which is still placed on her arm, and rubs it gently. "I love you too. I always will." She takes his hand off of her skin and walks away from him and into the night. She walks out into the rain. Cold water droplets fall down her face, mixing with the salty tears that are already there.

She starts walking to no where in particular. Her thoughts are so jumbled. It's a huge storm inside, matching the one that is being created outside. She doesn't think about where she is walking and she doesn't care. She lets the tears fall and the rain pour down on her.

 _Flash!_

Lightning cracks across the dark, sky. Thunder begins to roll all around her. It doesn't seem to faze her though. She is lost in her own thoughts. She keeps walking straight. She ignores the cold feeling that is sprouting.

"Lexie, what the hell are you doing?"

She turns around and spots Meredith running towards her. "You must be freezing!" She grabs her arm and starts pulling her into the hospital.

Lexie realizes she must have subconsciously walked here. "I'm fine. I just needed to walk." Her voice sounds distant, even to her, like she is far away in her own world.

Meredith leads her through the hallway and into the resident's locker room. "You need to take a hot shower and I'll have some coffee made for you. What were you thinking walking out in the cold like that? You didn't even have a jacket dumbass."

Lexie smiles at her big sister. She has never felt so protected by her before. It's refreshing to know that she cares so much.

"Why are you smiling? Do you enjoy doing stupid things?" Meredith asks as she grabs a towel for her sister.

"You are acting like a big sister. I like it." Lexie takes the towel and sighs deeply. "Did you hear about Mark and Julia?" The question is like poison on her tongue.

Meredith nods her head, realizing why Lexie was walking around in the rain all depressed. "She has a bun in the oven. I'm sorry, Lex." She sits with her on the bench and wraps her arm around her. "I know this isn't easy for you. And I really don't know what to say." She pauses for a minute and shakes her head. "Honestly, I don't think anything could make you feel better right now. I'm not going to sit here and give you a pep talk, because it would be bull shit. You have to embrace the sad. You can't ignore or candy coat it."

Lexie knows that she is right. She can't pretend that everything is going to be okay. She has to come to terms that she has lost the love of her life, and can't do anything about it. "I lost him." She says aloud, like it will make it more real for her. She lets a few more tears fall before she shivers.

Meredith laughs at her shivering, hoping to lighten the mood. "That will be a lesson not to walk around in the rain."

Lexie laughs too and stands to her feet. She grabs her towel and walks toward the showers. She turns the knob and watches the water fall out of the shower head.

"You haven't lost him." Meredith says.

Lexie gives her sister a crazy look. "He got another girl pregnant, a girl he is in a relationship with. I have lost him."

Meredith shakes her head, thinking back to when Addison came to Seattle. It seemed hopeless at the time too, considering Derek wanted to stay married to her. "Fight for him. Tell him you want to be with him even with all of this that has happened. You do still want him, don't you?"

Lexie nods her head.

Meredith smiles. "Tell him to choose you, because you are going to stay by his side no matter what."

Lexie gives her sister another look. "When did you get so wise about relationships?"

Another laugh escapes from the older Grey. "I have Derek to thank for that. I'm just saying I did the choose me speech, and it may not have worked right when I wanted it to, but he did end up choosing me." Meredith feels a sense of pride of reminiscing her and Derek's relationship. No matter what they went through, they always came back to each other. She can see the same fire between Lexie and Mark. A fire that is not easily put out.

Lexie drops the towel and turns the shower head off. "You are right. I have to talk to him. He probably thinks I want nothing to do with him from the way I acted at the bar. He has to know I'm willing to be with him no matter the cost." She heads towards the door when Meredith stops her with her voice.

"What about a hot shower? And a ride? You walked here in the rain remember?"

Lexie ponders it, but shakes her head madly. "There is no time to be rational." She rushes out of the locker room against Meredith's wishes, and heads down the hall. After a few minutes of running through the hospital, she is back in the rain, running to Mark's apartment.

She ignores the stabbing feeling of the rain drops against her skin, and pushes forward. Mark is her motivation. She runs across the street when she spots his building, almost getting hit by a cab. She waves at them, signifying she is sorry, and heads inside. She continues to run until she is in front of his door. Her hand forms into a fist and it knocks loudly against the door's surface.

The door opens slowly, revealing someone she wasn't expecting to see. Julia.

"Hi, Lexie. What are you doing here?" Julia questions, with an eyebrow raised. She was hoping that Mark would have gotten rid of this snake already.

Lexie bites down on her bottom lip, not sure of what to say. She looks over Julia's shoulder to see if Mark is visible, but she can't tell. "I needed to talk to Mark." Lexie goes with some of the truth. She has never been good at lying and attempting it now would be a waste of time.

Julia rolls her eyes at the brunette. She wants to laugh more than anything. Doesn't Lexie get she has lost? Mark is hers, and always will be. "He doesn't want to speak with you."

Before Lexie lets her words cut her like a knife, she raises her own eyebrow. "Did he say that or are you just saying that?"

Julia places her hands protectively over her stomach. A wide grin stretches across her face as she notices the facial expression on Lexie's face. Julia is loving the way she is making this young girl squirm. She is going to squash her like a bug. "He went to get us some food. Listen, we are having a baby, Lexie. So whatever little fantasy you have cooked up in your head isn't going to happen. Mark and I are going to be a family. We just got done talking about everything. Let's just say we are about to have everything you could of had with him. It's too late honey."

Lexie blinks back tears. He is going to marry her. Of course he is. Mark is an extraordinary man. He will be with the one that is carrying his baby, even if his feelings lie with someone else. Lexie puts on the toughest act she has ever had to pull. "Congratulations, Julia. I'm happy for you guys." She turns away from the pregnant woman and begins walking down the hallway.

Mark spots Lexie walking, with tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. "Lex, what's wrong? Why are you here?"

She eyes the food that is piled up in his arms before shaking her head. "I'm happy for you. I really am." She chokes out. She swipes her tears away madly. "Just stay away from me, okay? I know me and you can never happen. You have made your choice." She pushes past him.

"Lex, don't go." He is confused. Why is she acting this way? He sets the food on the floor, and chases after her. "Stop!" He ends up outside, with her almost in the street. The rain is still pouring out of the sky, and he sees she isn't wearing a jacket. "You must be so cold!" He hurriedly takes off his jacket and walks to her. He wraps her up in the cloth, and envelops her.

She looks down at her feet, tears still pouring, and her heart still breaking. "Why are you doing this?" Her voice sounds pitiful. She must seem like an injured puppy to him.

Mark is taken aback. Sadness charges through him. "I love you."

Lexie pushes him. "Stop telling me you love me! This is hard enough!" She screams at him, letting the anger and pain take it's toll.

"I do love you! This is just a hard situation, Lex. If you are wanting to run, I don't blame you. I know you didn't ask for any of this." His own voice is pained. He doesn't want her to go. His life will be empty without her. It has been since she told him to let her go by the vending machines that day. So much pain is stabbing at him. He closes his blue eyes, thinking she is about to tell him the same thing over again. He can't handle a second time.

Lexie cries out in sobs, shaking from them. She hasn't cried this hard in a long time. "You already chose her, Mark. There is no need to push this off any longer." She pushes him farther away from her and turns towards the street. "I...I love you so much." She then runs quickly to get to the other side. Her long legs take her away from him.

Mark stands in the pouring rain, heart breaking, and tears streaming. He can't be losing her. Again. He turns and punches the street light beside him and ignores the searing pain it supplies. He walks back into the building and grabs the food he left behind. He enters his apartment and notices Julia sitting on the couch, with a smile on her face.


	5. When it Isn't Like it Should Be

_**HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT. PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW IT KEEPS ME MOTIVATED, AND TO THE ONES WHO HAVE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT I LOVE IT! THIS CHAPTER IS GOING TO HAVE A MATURE PART, HENCE ME MAKING THIS STORY MATURE. BUT JUST IN CASE SOMEONE YOUNG IS READING OR SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT TO READ IT I THOUGHT I WOULD LET Y'ALL KNOW.**_

 **Chapter Five *When it Isn't Like it Should Be***

Lexie stares out into the sky, gazing at the stars that are peeking through the darkness. She's up on the hill where Derek has his trailer, and is building his and Meredith's house. She needed some distance. Distance away from all the sadness that has entered her life. She has started to hate it. Her life, her mistakes, her everything. She lost out on something she didn't want to lose. A powerful something, that has her crying more than she ever has.

Her brown eyes maneuver to the house Derek is building. A slight smile touches her lips before it wilts back into a frown. Jealousy pools inside of her, wishing she could have a smidgen of what Derek and her sister have. She always dreamed since she was a little girl that she would find a forever kind of love. A love that burns deep, and the flame would never snuff out. She had that, but she pushed it away, and is now feeling a loneliness that won't seem to go away.

She rises to her feet, and walks to the house. She runs her fingers along the wood, reveling at her brother in law's handyman work. The structure is beautiful. The wood is a perfect shade of brown. She always dreamed of having a place like this, overlooking a view so magical it brings peace just by looking out at it. Once again tears fall out of her eyes. This is becoming a horrible habit, but it seems to be uncontrollable.

Today, she had cried at the hospital five times, hearing the latest gossip about Mark and Julia.

 _"Julia is having his baby!"_

 _"I heard he is going to propose!"_

 _"Poor Lexie."_

 _"Yeah she lost out on that gorgeous hunk of a man."_

 _"It's her own fault."_

It was all around her, smothering her, to the point where she was in the on call room gasping for air from crying. She meant it the night she told Mark she can't breathe without him. She can't sleep. She hasn't been stress eating, or really eating for that matter. She has the 'Mark Sloan Disease,' and it won't leave her body. It will always be there, tormenting her.

She sits Indian style on the porch and starts thinking about her life in a different way, if she had stayed with Mark. Her brown eyes are closed, envisioning the beautiful scenario in her head:

 _Mark holds her in his arms by the fireplace, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. He kisses down her neck, making chills run down her spine. She smiles intently, and turns her head slightly to claim his soft, lips with hers. They kiss for a few moments before he backs away and places his hand on her stomach. An emotional smile hits his face as he feels the baby kick inside._

 _"I'm so happy, Lex. This is everything I have ever wanted. You are everything." He leans down and kisses her again, putting all his love into it._

Lexie cries out again and punches the porch. Never has she felt such anger, picturing Julia's face on the wood. "I hate you." She says aloud, and begins to think she is going crazy. Maybe she should have stayed in the psych ward. She hears a crack in the wood and turns swiftly. She spots Mark, hand bandaged up, staring at her with an unreadable facial expression. "What are you doing here?"

Mark walks slowly towards the brunette. He sits beside her on the wood and takes the hand she punched with in his own. "Who do you hate?" He questions, his voice curious. He runs his thumb along the red that has surfaced on her fist.

"Why does it matter? Shouldn't you be celebrating?" She says with disdain. She hates talking to him like this, but she also hates how vulnerable she must seem right now.

Mark shakes his head, confused on her behavior. "Celebrating what?"

Lexie rolls her eyes and anger begins to boil over. "You are marrying Julia! She told me everything, Mark!" Lexie stands to her feet and jumps off the wood to the ground. She starts trudging down the grass when she hears Mark jump down too.

"I never said I was going to marry her!" He runs towards her and grabs her arm. He turns her around to where her brown eyes meet his blue ones. "I can't marry her. It wouldn't be fair to her. Yes, we are having a baby, but I'm not...I can't..." Mark shakes his head, trying to pull himself together. This is a mess. He wishes everything was different. He wishes Lexie would be with him, but he knows that is too much to ask of her.

Lexie's demeanor calms and places her hand on his arm. "Why did she make me think you were going to propose?" The answer is crystal clear, but she still wanted to ask. She has to know what he thinks.

Mark shrugs his broad shoulders and presses his forehead against hers. "I don't know why. I don't care what she said. I'm not with her anymore. I ended it last night. I told her I would still be in her life, but not as her boyfriend. As the father of our baby."

"You ended it with her?" She asks, her voice so low he wouldn't of been able to hear it if he hadn't of been close.

Mark nods against her head. "It wasn't right. I know you don't want to be with me now and I understand why. But it still needed to be done."

Lexie places her hands on both sides of his face. She smiles at the man that makes her heart race by just one look. "I love you. I said all that last night, because I thought you were going to marry her. I'll stay by your side as long as you want me." Before he can reply, she pulls him into her and kisses him passionately.

Mark smiles in the kiss and places his hands on her arms. "God, I love you." He says against her mouth.

The words ignite the flame that has been between them and soon enough the slow pace they have been at quickens. They continue kissing as Mark backs her up until they reach Derek's trailer.

He opens the door, and they enter inside, eyes on each other.

Lexie unbuttons her pants, and slips her shirt off of her, leaving her in a lacy purple bra and panties to match. She smirks at Mark as he gasps at her.

He will never get tired of looking at her body. He has always found her so completely beautiful and intoxicating. He quickly strips off his clothes, leaving him in his black boxers. He closes the distance between, not able to hold back any longer. He begins to kiss down her neck, making her moan in response. He then kisses her, while caressing her hair until gripping it a little tighter to kiss her more.

Lexie pants his name between the kiss, and falls back on the bed with him on top. Her long legs wrap around his waist, and his hand slides up one of them until he grabs her butt.

Mark quickly unclasps her bra and slides her panties down.

Her heart is racing. She is seeing fireworks, being near him like this.

Mark leans up to look down at the girl he is utterly and completely in love with. A smile stretches across his face, staring at this angel beneath him. "You are so beautiful." He tells her.

She stares at his chiseled chest and her eyes go up to his hypnotizing ones. She smiles too, loving being here with him, just loving him in general. She pulls him back down and starts kissing him again.

Mark pins arms beside her head and ties his fingers with hers. He stares into her brown eyes again until he leans down and begins to suck on her neck. He nips at the sensitive skin playfully, before making his way to kiss her collarbones. His lips move slowly to one of her nipples and torturing the nub with his tongue while playing with the other with his hand.

Lexie whimpers, and moans. "Mark." His name slips out of her mouth huskily. His continuous teasing makes her rock her hips a bit, touching his hard member.

Mark groans.

Lexie maneuvers to where she is on top of him and smirks at the beautiful man. "I have missed you." She whispers to him and kisses him before sliding her lips down his neck. She sucks at his neck before sliding her tongue down his chest and stomach. She stops and looks at him. She places both her hands at the hem of his boxers and slides them down his legs.

Mark kicks them off and before she can do anymore seducing, he gets back on top of her. " _I_ want to make love to _you_." He tells her. He gets between her legs and steadies himself. "I love you, Lex." He then plunges into her deeply, but slowly before she can even open her mouth and say it back.

She clings to him with her eyes shut tight. A moan escapes from her mouth.

He slides in and out of her, picking up speed with each thrust. "God, Lexie." He says aloud, loving the feeling of being inside of her.

Lexie pushes her hips into his, matching each thrust. She is panting.

He shuts his eyes now, and places his head on her chest. He was coming, hard, and throbbing inside of her.

She throws her head back, her walls tightening. She cries out and comes, raising her head back up and clenching the sheets with another cry.

They are both panting, slowly thrusting and moving together until they are trembling and finally collapse, forehead to forehead.

* * *

The morning sun shines through the window in the trailer.

Lexie is laying on Mark, legs entangled with his, making lazy circles with her finger on his chest. She sighs deeply, feeling for the first time in awhile, complete.

Mark stirs in his sleep and looks down at the girl laying across him. Once again a huge grin finds it's way to his lips. He can't stop smiling. He starts running his fingers through the tangled mess of her hair, proud he is the reason it looks this way. "I love waking up to you on top of me." He says with a smirk.

Lexie laughs and stops making the circles. She raises her head and leans it on her hand to pro herself up. She is looking down into those blue eyes, getting lost, like she always does. "This seems like a dream." She says, aloud.

Mark's fingers graze her arm and face. "It isn't a dream. We are together. There is nothing that is going to keep us apart, Lex."

His words bring a smile to her lips, and she leans down and kisses him softly. "I want to be more than just your girlfriend." She says, after kissing him. She figures it is best to be honest and open with him. She is tired of wasting time.

Mark's shocked expression slowly turns into sheer happiness. Hearing those words come out of her mouth, makes his world seem brighter somehow. "You do?" He wants to confirm, make sure he actually isn't dreaming.

Lexie nods. "I told you I want a future with you. I've already been your girlfriend. I want to be your wife." She is serious, and she wants to let him know that she is.

Mark cheers loudly and wraps his arms around her. He kisses her passionately before pressing his forehead against hers. "I guess I need get a ring quick." He says this with another huge smile. He is filled with happiness. A happiness that is overpowering, and something no one can take away.

 _Ring! Ring! Ring!_

Mark quickly grabs his phone from the end table beside him and slides his finger along the surface to answer it. "Hello?" he says, not sure why Julia is calling him at the moment.

"Mark." She says as she sobs through the other end of the phone.

Mark raises automatically, making Lexie fall to the side. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

Julia cries harder and starts to breathe heavily. "I lost the baby, Mark. I need you." She cries out again and sucks back her breath. "Please!"

"On my way!" Mark quickly gets out of the bed, and begins to throw on his clothes.

Lexie looks at him, not understanding why he is rushing. "What is going on?"

Mark grabs his keys and runs to the door of the trailer. "She lost the baby. I...I have to go to her." His eyes fills with tears as he looks at Lexie. "I'm sorry...I have to." Before she can say anything, Mark rushes out to go to Julia.


	6. You Call it Madness, But I Call it Love

_**I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THE GUEST REVIEWS. I DIDN'T KNOW MY SETTINGS HAD IT TO WHERE THEY WOULDN'T SHOW UP. BUT NO WORRIES I GOT IT FIXED! ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS IT MEANS A LOT AND I'M GLAD Y'ALL ARE LIKING THE STORY. THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET CRAZY!**_

 **Chapter Six *You Call it Madness, But I Call it Love***

Lexie follows after Mark, putting on her shoes as she hops along. "I'm coming with you, Mark." She tells him, trying to catch up. She can't let him go through this alone. He just lost his baby. Her pride needs to be put off to the side.

Mark waits by his car for her to catch up. Once Lexie gets to it, they enter his car and he speeds away from the beautiful spot. "Thank you." He tells her, feeling overwhelmed. He takes her small hand in his and squeezes it.

Lexie gives him a sad smile. "I told you I would be by your side." She looks out the window beside her and sighs. She hates this. Last night she was hating Julia, hating that she got pregnant with Mark's baby. Now, Lexie wants to cry for her. This is the last thing she wanted to happen. Julia going through a miscarriage is a situation that no woman should ever have to go through. Nor should the father. Her thumb makes circles on his hand, letting him know she is here for him, no matter what.

Mark stares straight ahead, chewing on the inside of his cheek, having conflicted feelings about it all. He is losing another baby. The first time had been by choice, but not his choice. Thinking back to when Addison aborted their baby, makes him feel sick. Right now, as he speeds through the Seattle traffic to get to Julia, he is in agony. He didn't want their baby to die. That wasn't supposed to be the solution to the problem. But a tiny part of him, a part he hates, is relieved. He shakes his head at himself, wondering how he could be so horrible.

They stay silent, both lost in their own thoughts and feelings. This was unexpected. An unexpected something that is going to change their lives.

Mark pulls into the parking lot of the OB doctor's office. He unbuckles his seat belt and shuts off the ignition. He takes in a few deep breaths and tries to collect his thoughts.

Lexie unbuckles herself too and turns his face towards her. "You are not alone. I am here. I'm not going anywhere." She plants a gentle kiss on his lips. "I love you." She whispers.

He presses his forehead against hers and squeezes his eyes shut. "I love you too, Lex." The words barely come out of his mouth. Tears slide down his cheeks, sadness and hatred for himself taking his body over. "I'm horrible." He says, so low Lexie could hardly hear him.

She shakes her head. "You are no where near horrible."

"I feel relieved in a way, Lex. How does that not make me horrible?"

Lexie leans back and wipes his tears from his beautiful face. She kisses him once again and waits for him to open his eyes. "You are not horrible, because look at how bad you are feeling right now. You are crying over all of this. You are being so hard on yourself. That is why you are not horrible." She runs her fingers through his hair before telling him he needs to go inside. "I will wait here for you."

Mark nods, understanding that he needs to go in alone. Julia is already upset, seeing Lexie wouldn't help the situation. He kisses Lexie one more time before slowly getting out of the car.

Once she sees Mark walking into the OB building, her own tears start to fall. She hates this for them.

 _Ring! Ring!_

Lexie grabs her phone out of her pocket and notices Meredith's name on the call. She slides her finger across the screen and answers it. "Hey."

"Hey? Hey! That's all you can say?"

"You rhymed." Lexie says with a laugh.

Meredith doesn't return the laugh. "Where are you? You told me you were going for a drive last night and you never came home. Are you trying to worry your sister to death?"

Lexie smiles into the phone, loving how close her and Meredith have gotten. Awhile back she would have never thought that Meredith would be calling her about not coming home. "I'm sorry. I ran into Mark and I ended up staying with him." She knows that is going to distract Meredith from being mad at her.

"You had sex! So what does this mean?"

Lexie's eyes maneuver to the OB entrance. She spots Mark and Julia exiting out, with his arm around her shoulders. "I have to go. I'll tell you everything at work." Lexie hangs up before Meredith can say anything else. She puts the phone back in her pocket and exits the car. She can't just sit by and not say anything. She feels so bad for her. "Julia I'm so sorry."

Julia's head snaps up, and automatically anger begins to boil inside of her. She can't get rid of this girl. She fakes a pregnancy and fakes a miscarriage, and he _still_ wants her. Julia takes Mark's arm off of her and glares at the man she loves. "What is she doing here?" Her voice is hateful.

Mark gives her a look. "She came here for support. I told you I was going to be with her, Julia. But we are both here for you." He says his words carefully, but Julia doesn't stand for it.

The red head turns her head to focus her glare on Lexie. "You bitch."

Lexie is taken aback by her outburst. "I'm sorry...I-" She shakes her head. She shouldn't of came. She ought to know that she would just cause more hurt for this girl. "I'll leave. I don't want to cause any trouble. I just wanted to be here for suppo-"

Julia interrupts her by slapping her across the face. "Just shut up! I'm sick of you! You had your turn, why couldn't you just leave him alone?"

Mark jumps between them as Lexie tries to register what just happened. "That's enough, Julia. I know you are hurting, but there is no need to take it out on her."

A laugh escapes from Julia's mouth. She looks between Mark and Lexie and rolls her eyes as her laughter continues. "She is the reason we aren't together anymore. She's a snake!"

"She is not a snake, Julia." Mark tells her. He is surprised at her outburst. He wasn't expecting her to react this way. He assumes it is because of the horrible incident. "Please stop. I know losing this baby is hard on you, but we will be there for you. You aren't alone in this I promise. This hurts me too."

Julia laughs again, seeming like a complete mad woman. "There was never a baby! I lied about it all."

Lexie's eyes snap up at her. She lied. All this time that woman faked a pregnancy and kept her and Mark from being together. Julia made him said over losing another baby, made him hate himself. Anger takes her over. She doesn't try to contain it. She lets the fury go. She moves around Mark and gets right in Julia's face. "You bitch! How could you do this?"

Julia's eyes maneuver to Mark, hoping she can make him understand. She just wants him to love her, as much as she loves him. "I love you. I didn't want to lose you." She pleads with her eyes, but Mark just shakes his head at her.

"I don't love you. I never will." He spats at her.

Julia turns her attention to Lexie. This is all her fault. Lexie is the reason she can't be happy with Mark. Lexie caused all of this. She raises her hand and forms into a fist.

Lexie notices and before Julia can hit her, she punches her square in the nose.

Julia's hands fly to her bloodied nose, and she screams out in pain.

Mark steps in, and grabs Lexie's arm. "Let's go." He pulls her with him until they get to his car. He slides in and once she does too, he turns the ignition on and drives away. After a few minutes of driving, a laugh escapes from his mouth. A loud, booming one that fills the whole car.

"Why are you laughing?" Lexie asks, taken by surprise.

Mark smiles at her. "There is no more Julia. There is no baby, and there never was. Lex, we can be happy. We can finally put everything behind us, and focus on our future." He laughs again. "And you punched her! You broke her nose, you badass!"

Lexie laughs too. She is glad she got to take her anger out on her. That girl had caused way too much unhappiness for them. Honestly, it felt good and she would do it again in a heartbeat. "She messed with my man." Lexie says with a shrug of her shoulders. "I'm just glad we can forget about her and move on. We are finally going to have the future we have always wanted."

They hold hands as Mark pulls into the hospital parking lot. They both climb out once he turns the ignition off.

Mark grabs her hand again. "Are you ready for the rumor mill to start?"

Lexie squeezes his hand. "I am. Let them talk about us."

They walk in with their heads held high, holding hands, with huge grins on their faces. They ignore the stares they receive and the gossip they can already hear in the whispering voices. They don't care though. They only care about being with each other.

* * *

"She was faking the pregnancy?" Derek asks.

Mark just explained the situation that unfolded as they are standing in the break room. "Yeah she faked it all. I just can't believe she went so...insane." He shakes his head. He never thought Julia was like that. "It's over now though. Lexie punched her and we can move on from everything."

Derek laughs, proud of his sister in law. "It's still hard to believe she would punch her. Lexie, isn't really the angry type."

Mark shrugs before he picks up the pot of coffee they made. He pours some of the hot liquid in his cup and sets the pot back on the heater. "She was defending my honor."

Derek grabs a cup of coffee too. "So what does this mean for you two?"

Mark sips on his coffee before taking a velvety box out of his jacket pocket. He hands the box to Derek. "I'm going to propose to her."

Derek opens the box and his eyes widen. The diamond is huge. He takes the ring out and notices the engraving in the silver band. The words, _My soul mate,_ are there and a set of numbers are beside it. "What is this date?" He asks his best friend.

"The day Lexie came to my apartment and told me to teach her. That is the day it started for us. And it never ended. I've have loved her ever since and I will always love her. It may seem crazy to ask her to marry me when we just got back together, but she even said she wants to be my wife. She wants this, Derek."

Derek eyes the beautiful ring and smiles up at him. "I'm happy for you both. I think you two have waited long enough." he places the ring back in the box and hands it back.

Mark holds the box, his future, in his hand. He stares down at it, feeling a sense of happiness, of what is to come. "Will you help me? I have an idea on how I'm going to ask her."

Derek nods, just as Callie walks in, holding Sofia.

"Hey we just got back from our trip. How is everything going?" Callie says, sensing something in the room. She eyes the tiny box in Mark's hand just as he puts it away and heads to grab Sofia. "Are you proposing to Julia?"

Mark takes Sofia and smiles at his beautiful child. "Well, hello cutie. I've missed you. Did you miss daddy?" He kisses the top of her head and bounces her up and down as Sofia coos at him.

Callie rolls her eyes. "I'm talking to you, Mark!" When he looks up at her, she arches an eyebrow at him. "Are you proposing to Julia?"

Mark looks at Derek and laughs with him. "You have missed a lot."

She looks between the two, completely confused. "What do you mean I've missed a lot? What in the world has happened?"

As Mark plays with Sofia, loving having her back, Derek explains the whole story. He gives every detail, and once he is done Callie's eyes look like they are going to pop out of her head.

"Remind me to never go on a trip again. I should have known that something crazy was going to happen here. Crazy never seems to stop here." She goes to Mark and hugs him. "I'm sorry all that happened with Julia, but I'm glad you are happy again. So you are going to propose to Lexie? Are you sure she is ready for that?" She doesn't want to discourage her best friend, but with their track record she wants him to be sure.

Mark gives Sofia another kiss before saying, "She told me she wants to be my wife. I think she's ready." His voice is filled with excitement, telling Callie all of this. His future with Lexie seems bright now, and the dark seems to be fading out.

Callie jumps with joy and even hugs Derek too. "This is great! So tell me, how are you going to ask her?"

Mark then goes into detail about the engagement, glad he has his two best friends by his side.

 _ **OK Y'ALL THERE IS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE CRAZY COMING UP, SO DON'T THINK THAT WAS ALL THE CRAZY LOL. BUT ANYWAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN? AND HOW DO YOU THINK HE IS GOING TO PROPOSE? PLEASE REVIEW I LOVE IT!**_


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